January 1, 2006

Download PDA Sermon File

Responding to the Christ Child

Luke 2:22-40

            Have you ever found yourself in a situation that beckoned for a response?  A situation that would not only affect your life or circumstances, but also the lives of those around you.  We do our best to prepare for every situation that life brings our way.  Deep down we all know the truth though.  At some point, in varying instances of our lives, we are put into a situation that we were not expecting, that requires a positive or negative response from us.  Our responses to various “life situations,” form and shape who we become, what personality we take on, and how we act toward others.  I remember a few of these situations in my own life. 

            When I was a sophomore in high school, I was in love with football, and was far from being an outstanding player.  Up to this point I had spent some time in the weight room, and in preparation to make myself a better player, but nothing to really get all excited about.  After my sophomore season, I had dreams of the following year, and hopes of maybe becoming a starting star on the varsity squad.  My dreams were big, but my reality was small.  I was, and still am, a very big guy, but my strength, experience, and coordination was lacking.  I did not know what to expect when my coach called me into his office one day after school for a “personal goals” meeting.  This was the typical one on one meeting with my coach that occurred after every season, and with every player.  During this meeting we would talk about the upcoming year, his expectations of us, our expectations of ourselves, and what we had to do in between to get there. 

            I was not expecting to hear the words that my coach spoke to me that afternoon.  He said, “I want you to start offensive tackle for us next year.  There are three other players that will be competing for that same spot during try-outs next season.  If you make a commitment today to go above and beyond in the weight room, to work relentlessly on your agility, and to work hard for this team, I know that you will earn yourself a starting position on the team.”  Those words lit a fire in me.  I had been put on the spot.  My response to his question of commitment would not only shape and define my future as a player, but it would be influential in the success of the team.  I have been around football a lot in my life, and I have found one fact to be true.  The teams that have more players than not, responding positively to a team commitment, tend to have more success.  I took that moment and responded with obedience, trust, and hard work and it paid off with unbelievable success.  Our responses in life, whether they are life changing or immediate circumstance changing, will shape and form us to who we become. 

            Today our text comes from the book of Luke.  Luke is a gospel that takes a slightly different approach to studying the life of Christ, than the three other gospels do.  History tells us that Luke is a physician who was not an eyewitness to the life of Jesus.  Yet, this is what makes Luke unique.  Luke pays attention to historical details.  This is a book that can hold up to the historical criticism of others.  Luke was very scientific in his approach to writing this gospel.  Within its pages we find meticulous details, and the testimonies of others to the life of Christ.  The result that we read is a very well organized book, with eyewitness after eyewitness account to the various stages of the life of Christ.  Careful study of this book reveals a Christ that is human, a Christ that is very much the Son of God, and a Christ that is the salvation for all.  One commentator writes that the purpose of the book of Luke is, “To present an accurate account of the life of Christ and to present Christ as the perfect man and Savior” (iLumina Gold). 

Last week on Christmas Day we celebrated the pre-text to our verses today found in Luke 2:1-20.  The Savior of the world and salvation for all, Jesus Christ, was born as the salvation for all.  This week our text paints three different portraits of responses to the Christ child for us.  We have the response of Mary and Joseph (the parents of Jesus), the response of Simeon the prophet, and the response of Anna the prophetess.  Within these portraits, we can see for ourselves examples of responses that we can make our own, when we face Christ.  Christ Jesus has been born to us, so how do we respond?

WE RESPOND TO CHRIST WITH AN ETERNAL/LIFE CHANGING DECISION

            I want to begin looking at this text, by focusing on Simeon.  We encounter Simeon in vv. 25 – 35.  Verse 25 says, “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.  He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him” (NIV).  Historically during this time, most Jews believed that a Messiah was coming to redeem them as the chosen people of God.  The problem was that not all Jews had the same perspective of how this was going to happen.  There were two main groups or perspectives that took a stance on the “consolation” or redemption of Israel.  The first group took more of a militant stance.  They thought that the messiah was going to be a great ecclesial champion who would come to defeat their enemies and oppressors, and place the Jews at the rightful place above all others as the “chosen people” of God.  Another group of people, known as “the quiet of the land,” took quite a different perspective on the Messiah.  They believed in constant prayer and watchfulness until the coming of God’s Messiah.  All of their lives they waited quietly and patiently upon God and his timing.  Simeon was a part of this group, and because he sought God’s will, he was righteous and devout in the sight of the Lord.  He was a prophet who was moved by the power of the Holy Spirit, and he was “spiritually in tune with God” (iLumina Gold). 

            Simeon is led by the Holy Spirit into the Temple courts.  There he sees Joseph and Mary, and the young baby Jesus.  He takes the child in his hands, and responds to God with praise.  He says in verses 29-31, “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.  For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory for your people Israel” (NIV).  Salvation was finally here.  All Simeon could do was praise God.  Simeon, because he was faithful and was led by the Spirit, he was able to recognize the seriousness and joy that this child would bring.  The shock for us in this portion of the text comes with Simeon’s next statement.  Simeon responds with praise and prophecy, calling all of humankind to make a life changing decision.

            As mentioned before, Simeon was a prophet led by the Holy Spirit.  He was faithful, righteous, and devout.  He was “spiritually in tune with God.”  I do not know about you, but that leads me to believe that what he is saying might have some important meaning to it.  In verses 34-35, Simeon prophesies to Mary by saying, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.  And a sword will pierce your own soul too” (NIV).  Simeon, led by the Spirit, reveals the destiny of the Christ child, the destiny of the salvation of humankind.  Within this prophecy we find the key to salvation, we find the text beckoning us to respond.  Simeon has responded to God with a life of faithfulness, and responded to Christ with acceptance and praise, but now he is calling us to respond within this prophecy.

            When I first read this portion of the text, I was shocked.  I understood some of it, at least the part about Christ causing the rise of many, and causing our hearts to be revealed.  I was initially startled though by the opening statement of this prophecy, that said that Christ would “cause the falling…of many in Israel” (NIV).  How could the “salvation of all” cause the falling of many?  I found the answer when I began to look at the text more seriously.  Simeon was prophesying the truth of salvation.  Even though Christ is the universal salvation, not everyone would accept him. 

            The destiny of the Christ child was not only salvation but also judgment.  Christ requires a response from all people.  The “falling…of many” refers to people who will be judged by their total rejection of Christ.  These are the people who hear the truth of the gospel, that Christ is the only way to salvation, and totally reject Him.  These people will be judged accordingly and eternally when the hearts of all men are revealed for who they really are.  Christ is the dynamic to Christianity.  He is the solid thing that no other religion can provide.  He exposes us for what we really are.  When we are exposed we either respond in total acceptance or total rejection of Him.  Total acceptance leads to the “rising” of a person’s life.  It leads to a hope for a promised eternity with God.  It leads to a redemptive life.  Total rejection leads to the “falling” of a person’s life.  A life full of self-centered choices, and an eternity of hell apart from God.  One commentator says it like this, “a man judges himself; and his judgment is his reaction to Jesus Christ.  If, when he is confronted with that goodness and that loveliness, his heart runs out in answering love, he is within the Kingdom.  If, when so confronted, he remains coldly unmoved or actively hostile, he is condemned.  There is great refusal just as there is great acceptance” (Barclay 26).  He goes on to say, “Toward Jesus Christ there can be no neutrality.  We either surrender to him or are at war with him.  And it is the tragedy of life that our pride often keeps us from making that surrender which leads to victory” (Barclay 27).

            I have some news for you today.  You will face Christ.  You will be exposed at the core of your being, in your heart, for who you really are.  If you have accepted Christ you will be accepted into the kingdom of God.  If you have rejected Christ you will be subject to hell apart from the presence of God, not only in eternity, but in this life.  When Christ was crucified he was hung upon the cross next to two criminals.  One criminal hurled insults at him, and refused to acknowledge or to accept Christ as salvation.  The other criminal acknowledged who Christ was.  His encounter with Christ caused him to reconsider his sinful life.  The first criminal responded with total rejection.  The second criminal responded with total acceptance, and received eternal paradise.  Christ came as the salvation for all.  The prophecy of Simeon reminds us that we will face Christ, and we will be exposed for who we really are.  My question for you is, “Have you responded with total acceptance or with total rejection?”  Maybe today, God is calling you to respond in a different way. 

WE RESPOND TO CHRIST WITH HUMBLE OBEDIENCE

            The second response, or portrait of response that we find in this text, is that of Joseph and Mary, the parents of the Christ child.  Up until this point, I think it is safe to say that this has not been a normal childbirth.  The angel of the Lord appears to Mary, the Lord leads Mary and Joseph to a safe place to give birth, the Virgin birth takes place, and shepherds come led by angels to see the child.  Pretty normal right?  Not really.  The hand of the Lord was in this childbirth, and Mary and Joseph are the parents of the savior of the universe.  They know that this child is supernaturally special, so how do they respond to being the parents of the universal salvation of humankind?  They go to the Temple, and complete as much of the Law of Moses (all) as was possible.  They responded to being the parents of Christ, with humble obedience to God. 

            The Law of Moses called for three things to happen after the birth of a child, and Mary and Joseph completed all these things.  First of all, on the eighth day, the young boy was to be circumcised and named.  Circumcision was one of the few laws that could even be completed on the Sabbath because it was of utmost importance.  Christ was circumcised and given the name Jesus, as the angel of the Lord had instructed, on the eighth day.  The second part of the laws for childbirth called for Mary to be purified.  Jewish mothers were considered to be unclean after childbirth.  When they had a young girl they were considered impure for eight days.  When they gave birth to a young boy, they were considered unclean for forty days.  During this time of uncleanliness, the women could complete household tasks, but could not worship in the temple.  Mary had to wait forty days, and then go to the temple to offer a sacrifice to be purified.  The traditional sacrifice, of the mother’s purification, called for a lamb as the burnt offering and a dove/pigeon as the sin offering.  In our text we see that Mary offered two pigeons/doves instead of the traditional sacrifice.  You see, the traditional sacrifice was expensive.  It was the sacrifice if you could afford it. Mary and Joseph could not, and they offered what was known as “the sacrifice of the poor.”  This gives us insight to the financial situation of Joseph and Mary.  The third and final part of the laws of childbirth was the consecration of the child.  Children were highly considered “gifts of God” in traditional Jewish culture.  The firstborn child of every family was sacred to God, and had to be bought back in a traditional ceremony.  Jesus was taken before God, and five shekels was paid to the high priest as a sign of buying him back from God.  Mary and Joseph completed all these parts of the law very faithfully.

            Through the steps taken by Mary and Joseph after the birth of Christ, we can see that they responded as parents with humble obedience to God.  We see this in their financial situation.  They were not rich.  God did not say to them, “Since you are carrying my son, I will drop a couple thousand shekels in the local ‘First National Bank of Jerusalem’ for you, just to make it easier.”  They did not have money to throw around, but yet, when time came for the sacrifice, and for the consecration of the child, they were obedient to the Law of Moses.  One commentator says it like this, “Again we see that it was into an ordinary home that Jesus was born, a home where there were no luxuries, a home where every penny had to be looked at twice, a home where the members of the family knew all about the difficulties of making a living and the haunting insecurity of life” (Barclay 25).  This shows us the humanity/reality of the situation.  When naming the Christ child, Mary and Joseph did not say things like, “This child is the savior, let’s name him something powerful, like Christ the conqueror!”  Instead they were obedient to what the angel of the Lord had commanded when he said, “you shall call him Jesus” (NIV).  After all the abnormal, strange, and divine situations that brought Mary and Joseph to this point, they still did not trust in themselves to take control, but they offered their child to God and were obedient to everything that the law and God had required of them.  Instead of trusting in their own pride for being the parents of the Christ child, they responded in humble obedience to God. 

            Pride is so dangerous to the Christian life.  Even after we accept the gift of Christ into our hearts, our flesh often wants to scream out in pride.  “I want it my way and I know the best way.”  “My way of doing ministry is the best.”  “I work as an usher once a month, and I know just the right way to hand out bulletins and get people to their seats.”  “I was taught this way of preaching 40 years ago, and your way has nothing to offer to my perfect way.”  “I am perfect, can’t you tell, because I am a Christian and I wear the Lord’s Gym t-shirt in public…what a spiritual rebel I am.  I am “Super Christian.”  These examples sound funny, but they are often true of the thoughts of pride that enter our mind.  Who knows, maybe the same type of thoughts entered the mind of Joseph and Mary, but they chose humble obedience over pride. 

We have been given the gift of Jesus Christ.  God has graced us with this gift.  I have news for you: It’s not about us.  Mary and Joseph knew that God was in this situation, and that he was in control.  They did not brag about Christ and they were not prideful parents.  They simply understood that God was in control and that the best thing for them to do was to remain faithful.  When Christ was given to them, they responded with humble obedience to God.  We need to do the same.  When Christ encounters our hearts, and we choose to accept him, we need to remain humbly obedient for the rest of our lives. 

WE RESPOND TO CHRIST WITH OUR DAILY ACTS OF WORSHIP

            The final portrait of response that is given to us in this text is that of Anna the prophetess.  Verses 36 – 38 say, “There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.  She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.  She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.  Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem” (NIV).  We see here several aspects of the life of Anna that are important for us to look into.

            The first thing we learn about Anna is that she was very old.  It is amazing what age does to us.  Although I have just begin to notice  things that age brings I get a little older every year, the testimonies of grandparents, parents, mentors, etc… in my life have given me some insights to what age brings.  You get more tired with age, and you may lose some energy.  You gain more knowledge with age (sometimes).  Your physical body changes with age.  It is safe to say, that as you get older, things change.  Age seems to bring with it both some good things, and some dangerous things.  One of the main dangers of age as a Christian seems to be spiritual complacency.  Once we get older, maybe we think that we can just sit back and relax with God.  After all, we have served him earnestly for a long time right?  We deserve a break.  Sometimes even at the age of 25, I think that I can begin to relax (just slightly) a little more.  Anna’s life is a testimony against that.  At a very old age she still had hope for the consolation of Israel.  She believed that the Messiah was still coming.  She was still as faithful as ever.  She saw God as still using her, and connected to her life.  She refused to get comfortable in her religion or worship. 

            Another thing we learn about Anna from this text is that she was a widow of 84 years.  If she was a widow for that long, it sounds like she did not have a long stint of marriage.  How could she remain so faithful to God, after losing someone so close like her husband?  In my experience, from losing my father at a young age to a heart attack, grief and sorrow were a normal part of my life after that event.  Grief and sorrow are very normal things after losing someone close.  At some point though, we have to make a decision of whether or not to let those things “lord” over our lives.  At some point after my father’s death, I had to say that I was not going to be bound by grief or sorrow anymore. I was not going to let it lead me to bitterness for God.  I had to, like Anna, let the experience with my loss ground me deeper in my faith.  Anna sets the example that, when rough life times come our way, we need to ground ourselves further in God.  She responded to grief and sorrow with the joy of serving God and living a life of daily worship to him.

            Anna spent every day in worship at the temple.  Whenever the doors were open, she was there.  She gives us a great example of what true community worship is.  I always chuckle when I hear people who are frustrated with church say, “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian!”  I would like to see you live a life that is full of everything that God has to offer without being a part of a faith community.  Anna knew this.  When the doors of the temple were open, she was there to worship God.  She also knew the importance of living a private worship life.  At the temple she spent her days in fasting and prayer.  She was part of the “Quiet of the Land” (the same group as Simeon), and lived in prayerful expectation of the consolation (Messiah) of the world.  She lived her life as a daily act of worship.  Anna was obedient and trusting to the will of God, and she knew that his will and his promises were coming to fruition.    

            When the Christ child was brought to the temple, the text says that, “at that very moment…” she began to offer thanksgiving to God and began to tell everyone in hearing distance that salvation was here.  She was ecstatic in worship.  Christ was here, and she was going to tell someone about it.  Her faithfulness had paid off.  Do you think at that pinnacle moment of life for her, that she stopped going to the temple?  I don’t think so.  In fact, I have to believe that if Anna would have encountered the Christ child at the age of 25 or 50, that she would have still spent her days in faithfulness, thanksgiving, and worship of God.  She lays out a great example of what it means to worship and trust in God with our everyday lives.  Maybe you are getting complacent or are struggling with a rough place in life.  I have news for you:  Christ has been given to us!  Our salvation is here!  You can respond by knowing that God is involved in our everyday lives.  We are connected in a personal way with him.  Anna’s life is a parallel for us, in how we should respond to Christ.  We can live in thanksgiving and worship because Christ has come and delivered us.  He will get us through complacency, and hurt, and pain.  We need to give ourselves fully to him, and not settle for a ho-hum spiritual experience.  If you are in the same place as a Christian in five years (as you are today), and you have not allowed the Spirit in to change you through worship, will Christianity still work for you?

            We need to respond one way or another to Christ.  Just as Simeon’s prophecy tells us, we need to respond in either total acceptance or total rejection.  No matter what you think, there is not middle/neutral ground with Christ.  You are either for him or against him, but one thing is for sure: when you come face to face with Christ, his judgment will cause you to be exposed for who you really are.  He is calling you to respond with acceptance, and that hope is with us today.  You can respond to Christ with total acceptance today!  That is the Good News.  We need to respond in humble obedience to God.  Some of us Christians struggle with this, but we need to follow the example of Joseph and Mary.  God’s not calling you to be prideful, flashy, or to do it your way. God is calling you to humility and obedience to his way.  We need to respond to Christ (our salvation) with daily worship.  Don’t settle for complacency or some cheesy religious experience.  Seek God all your days.  Sing his praises everyday.  Seek a deeper experience with the Holy Spirit.  I don’t know about you, but I can’t be the same Christian I am today five years from now.  I want to seek more of God like Anna, and allow him to continue to seal my heart for him.  The Christ child came, and grew up to be a man, and died for our sins so that we might live.  When you face Christ, how will you respond?

Anthony Stemen
tony.stemen@mulberryumc.org